_Of the election of our father Fray Vicente de Sepúlveda_
Our father visitor-general thought that he had complied with
his obligation, and that the affairs of the province were in good
condition. He set about returning to España with the results of his
labor, although for the completion of the visit there was no time
allotted; for he had ample license to remain in the province as long as
he judged it advisable for its advantage and greater good. He did not
have good fortune on that voyage, for, either the poor equipment or
the late departure caused both the almiranta and the flagship to put
back in distress. Our father visitor also came back and resumed his
office, as it was one of which he had made no resignation. Now came
the time for the chapter which was to be held in Guadalupe, according
to the decision made. In this chapter the number of votes was very
much less, in obedience to the acts of the intermediary chapter, and
the father visitor was to be the president as was necessary in that
chapter also, for thus was it ordered in his letters-patent. Some
must have been sorry for it. Finally, the matter arranged itself in
such a way that our father master Fray Diego de Guevara resigned any
right that he might have to that presidency and to the visitation of
those islands, and for greater assurance broke the seal of it when he
entered the chapter. As the only received master in that province,
it was understood that he would be provincial; but I think that the
fathers were very far from thinking of it, for they inclined to our
father Fray Miguel García, who was most keen and very accurate in
matters of government. Being, moreover, a prince of the Church, the
latter was more conspicuous, as all thought; and I have even heard
very influential persons and even governors say of the archbishop,
"He is very wise! He is very wise!"
Upon the arrival, then, of the nineteenth of the month of May, 1614,
the date upon which our chapter fell, our father Fray Vicente de
Sepúlveda, a person who, one would think, had entered these islands
for eminence in everything, was elected. For coming in the company
of the bishop Solier (I mean the company which he himself brought to
this land), in the year 1606, as soon as the said Solier was elected
provincial, he made him [_i.e._, Sepúlveda] prior of the convent of
Macabebe in Pampanga, one of the best of all the convents. Later,
while our father Fray Miguel García was provincial, he was elected
definitor, and now we see him provincial; and in the succeeding
triennium we shall see him return to the office because of the death
of the holder of it, which is in accordance with the rules. Within a
little more than a month after he had taken the office, we shall see
him choked to death. Thus he served as an official in the province for
scarcely one and one-half years before he was at the head of it. But
so great fortune in temporal affairs announced such a misfortune.
At that chapter presided the definitor, namely, our father,
Fray Francisco Bonifacio; for, by the resignation of our father
visitor-general, the rules summoned him for it. As definitors were
elected in the chapter: our father Fray Juan Enríquez, father Fray
Pedro García; [29] second, our father Fray Alonso de Méntrida; third,
father Fray Alonso Ruiz; [30] and fourth, Fray Juan Cabero. [31] The
visitors were Fray Jerónimo de Salas and Fray Nicolás de Alreybar. All
of them assembled, they enacted carefully what they deemed most
suitable for the province.
As prior of the province and definitor of Roma was elected our father
Fray Miguel García; and, as discreto of the general chapter, father
Fray Hernando Guerrero, with sufficient authority so that in case
our father [_i.e._, García] should die he should enter upon his duties.
Leave was also given to our father visitor-general to go to
España. They made him prior of Manila. His voyages were fortunate,
although in the following year, when they went to España, the fleet was
overtaken by great danger and obliged to put in at Lisboa. But affairs
went so well in the court of España, that after only a short wait his
Majesty appointed them as bishops--our father Fray Miguel García,
of Cagayán; and our father visitor, of Camarines. They arrived at
their bishoprics, and died in the islands, where they furnished an
excellent example.
Our father Fray Vicente, as one who found himself with the province in
charge, and who took especial care of its increase, managed its affairs
with great assiduity. He visited all the provinces personally. He went
to that of the Bisayas, which even yet bewails the cost to them of that
visit. And if we must confess that the prelate's zeal was proper,
we have not to confess that the province which has ever enjoyed
an austere reputation had grown so careless as to need so bitter
medicine. And since those who were removed from their priorates were
given others, this rigor could well have been avoided, in my opinion,
although perhaps it ought to be considered proper, as the government
of the prelates is paramount. The provincial returned to Manila,
leaving Fray Alonso de Baraona as his vicar-provincial.
During this period the islands were passing through very great
dangers; for the Dutch from Maluco were vaunting themselves more
than was proper, and every day brought news that the Mindanaos were
assembling to destroy the islands--fears that made the people timorous
and too anxious. Finally their fears came to a head with the arrival
in great force of the Dutch off the coast of the town of Arévalo,
whose purpose was to prevent the aid which was to be sent from that
port to the forts of Térnate. The enemy had ten galleons, of varying
capacity; and it was even told as truth that they were bringing lime
and the other supplies for settling in Ilong-ilong. But later, when
the matter was better considered, it must have been seen that their
residence there would not be productive of any profit, but rather
of a very great expense. Besides, it would be very difficult to send
them aid; while our troops could easily oust them, as the island is
ours. The commandant of the town of Arévalo, also its alcalde-mayor
and overseer-general, without mincing words, was no more a man than
is a hen. Even in bravery, a hen is more than he; since the hen, upon
seeing the approach of the kite, is aroused, and becomes a lioness in
order to guard her chicks. But this person, by name Antonio de Jaréz de
Montero, did no more than to run away, although he had troops to meet
the enemy face to face. He had assembled more than two thousand Indians
from those encomiendas; he had more than two hundred Spaniards. And
so when the Indians saw, the night before, the signal which had been
made from the island of Imalus, [32] they fled, and not one was to
be seen next day; and all of the Spaniards who could, went also. In
the morning, Monday, on such and such a day of October, the enemy
appeared, and came straight to the port of Ilong-ilong, as if they
had frequented it for many years. Thereupon, the alcalde-mayor fled
inland, without taking thought for anything. Thus the field--where had
four Spaniards remained, they would have performed great deeds--was
left to the enemy. I was living at that time in Otóng, where father
Fray Juan de Lecea [33] was prior, a most exemplary religious. Father
Fray Silvestre de Torres, [34] who had come from Japón, was likewise
a conventual of that place. We did the same as the others. We stored
aboard a caracoa the most valuable things of the convent, and buried
the rest. We ordered the Indians to remain with the caracoa among those
creeks, of which there are many. They did so, and hence all the things
aboard the caracoa and those buried were found afterward. The enemy,
not meeting any opposition, landed, came to the town of Arévalo, and
set fire to it all. They burned our convent, which was quite fine and
built of wood They burned that of Salog also, an excellent convent,
which even yet has not been rebuilt. The enemy suffered greatly on
the road, for that season in the islands is the rainy season. We went
to the convent of Baong, one day's journey inland from the town,
although we spent more than two in reaching it. I, although sick,
was first to arrive. The prior of that convent was Father Diego
Oseguera. [35] Although the convent was poor, yet they acted as if
they were wealthy. They shared all the rice and beef of the convent
with all [the fugitives] who kept coming every moment, without taking
account of anything. The convent of Otong, besides its building,
lost a ranch of cattle which it owned then of more than five hundred
head and others of mares of more than one hundred head. For as the
cattle were tame and came to their usual resorts, the enemy caught
some and shot others. The fathers of the Society lost much also. The
rector of their college there was, at that time, Father Encinas, [36]
a man of uncommon holiness. He also came to Baong, by short relays,
and lived in our convents until his order summoned him.
The commandant and lieutenant-governor of the Pintados, Don Juan
de la Vega, was in Sugbú with two companies of infantry. The news
of the enemy's coming was told to him; accordingly he embarked his
men and brought them thither, but, when he had arrived, the enemy
had burned everything, and were away up the point. Thus the troops,
went to the convent of Passi--one-half day's journey by land--by the
river of Alacaygan. That same day I arrived at Passi, for I went from
Baong to Laglag, and from Laglag to Passi. The Indians were already
vaunting themselves very insolently, and refused to render any aid;
but it appears that with the arrival of those two companies, whom
they had in the heart of the country, they began to become calm. Who
can tell what these convents did, and what they gave and supplied? It
is incredible, for almost from their shoulders hung all those troops,
yet without curtailing anything [of the convent's usual bounty]. The
convents were hostelries for those soldiers and captains, until their
substance was gone. But when that commandant could have collected more
than three hundred Indians (or rather, soldiers), and gone to meet
the enemy and could have inflicted great damage upon him, he spent the
time in scandalous feasting. Afterward he went to Dumangas where all
the people of the town of Otóng and the other soldiers were gathered;
and there, by surfeiting themselves with cocoa-nuts and sugar-cane,
and committing other acts of hoggish greed, more of them died than
if they had fought with the enemy. That commandant was the son of an
auditor, and must have been a brave man, although he caused grief to
everyone; and his blunders must have been fine bits of prudence. He
also lost for the king a galleon named "San Márcos," one of the best
and stoutest vessels built in the islands. Another auditor's son,
Don Pedro de Almazán, when general of the galleys, had the Mindanaos
blockaded in the river Baco, and when already the enemy were thinking
of surrendering, he left the port, whereupon the enemy regained courage
and went away. The sons of auditors have done many things like these,
but I do not write them, as I am not the historian of their acts of
prowess. I have merely remarked this in passing, as it was necessary
to speak of it. Finally, Don Juan de la Vega died suddenly. There he
will have given account to God. Perhaps his intention in something
may save him.
It will be apparent from what I have written, that there has been
scarcely any event in these islands, either of war or peace, where
those of my order have not distinguished themselves. In the above
they did so no less than in others, for they were fathers to so many
poor, and hosts and support to so many soldiers. They relieved, if
not wholly, at least partially, the needs of so many, which one can
easily believe would be many, since they were abandoning their houses,
burned with what little they contained, and fleeing from the enemy
who were burning their possessions.
The enemy left the islands after that, whereupon father Fray Juan de
Lecea, as a true father to the end--and what he grieved over, was, in
truth, the leading astray of his flock--went down from the mountains,
as soon as he learned that the enemy were not in Otóng, and reached
(although not without many tears), those sites where had been the
convent, and where the true God had been worshiped. He began to gather
together those dear wretched beings, and gave them alms of the little
that he had. Finally, with God's help, those natives gradually came
down from the mountains and assembled in their village, where they
began to build their houses anew. Father Fray Juan de Lecea showed
so excellent management that he soon had a habitation. I left the
upland then and went to the visita of Guimbal, where the enemy had not
been. From that place I sent Father Lecea men, and what [supplies] I
could, so that the work might progress. There by the Lord's pleasure,
the Tinguianes of that visita, who had never consented to build a
church, nor have the father visit them, at length, through the Lord's
mercy, ceased their obduracy. They built me a church, and I baptized
many of them, both children at the breast and those somewhat older,
and adults. If I have done any service to the Lord in that place,
I pray His Majesty to receive it as a partial payment for my many
acts of disservice.
On my departure from all those mountains, and my return to Otóng,
I found already a church and small dwelling-house built, and another
under way, larger and more commodious, which was soon finished,
until it finally became a very handsome edifice.
The convent of Salóg was being rebuilt in better style; and the Indians
were again settling in the village, although not as in the beginning.
From that place I was exchanged to the convent of Dumalag, by order
of the vicar-provincial of the island, the father commissary, Fray
Antonio de Torres. While I was there the father provincial came to
visit, and there happened the above. The result of his visit was to
send me as prior to Dumangas, which I opposed to my utmost, as I had
left two other priorates because of my ill-health. But obedience had
to force my will. When I arrived there, even yet the Spaniards were
in that river. At last, seeing that they could go, they retired,
and my parishioners were more free to attend to their souls, to
their houses, to their villages, and to their church, which had been
destroyed. Finally, it was the Lord's will that I built there a church
and house of wood, and larger in size [than the former one].
The government remained in the hands of the Audiencia, because of
the death of Don Juan de Silva, knight of the Order of Santiago,
governor and captain-general of these islands. He sailed for Malaca
with ten galleons, accompanied by two of our religious, father
Fray Juan de Montemayor, [37] and father Fray Lúcas de Atienza. The
Audiencia governed most carefully and successfully, for it had very
good results in whatever it attempted. It was rumored that the Dutch
enemy were returning to the islands with a greater force, as they
had heard of the death of that man--who must be immortal, and for
fear of whom they were lost; for daily they were indicating this
in their conduct. For as he routed them at Playa Honda, in 1610,
they had no wish to fall into his power a second time. But now,
without any fear, they were about to return to retrieve their loss
and past reputation. The Audiencia appointed as commander-in-chief
of the Pintados Don Diego de Quiñones, one of the most valiant
and courageous gentlemen ever in this land. His first act was to
strengthen the fort of Sugbú, in case the enemy should attack at that
point. While he was busy in that occupation, news came from Otóng of
the approach of the Dutch with ten galleons, and of their intention
to colonize the point of Ilong-ylong. Instantly, he ordered a boat,
loaded it with bread and cheese, and went to Otóng. In the nine days'
interval until the Dutch arrived, he built a redoubt of wood and
fascines, where he awaited the enemy, who arrived September 29. Don
Diego had but few men, although a company from Ternate was there, who
happened to come there in a wrecked fragata. They were of no little
service. His artillery consisted of small pieces which shot a ball no
larger than a very small orange. He had about one hundred men. Lázaro
de Torres was their captain, a man of great courage, and than whom no
one, in such opportunities, has been more fortunate. His alférez was
Don Pedro Zara, a very courageous soldier. In short, they fought so
that it appeared rather rashness than bravery. Two of our religious
were there, father Fray Jerónimo de Alvarado and Fray Juan de Morales,
besides the parish priest of the town, Bartolomé Martes. They confessed
the troops, and encouraged them. The balls rained down, and thus they
penetrated throughout the fort, as if it had been paper. No place was
safe, for the enemy commanded the entire fort from their topmasts;
and no sooner did any one mount the parapet than he was shot. The
commander was wounded, as was Don Pedro Zara. Within that redoubt all
were heaped sweltering in their own blood, awaiting death. For, as
often as the enemy invested that small fort or redoubt, the Spaniards
resisted bravely and killed many of them. But finally, at the end,
the victory had to remain with the conqueror, who could be none other
than the Dutch as they had so strong forces. But our Lord in such a
conflict aided His own, who were fighting there for His honor under so
great odds; and willed that the enemy should abandon the undertaking,
and depart--to the wonder of all, after they had been firing at that
rampart for nearly two days. In that time they must have used more than
five hundred large balls, the reverberations of which sounded on the
heights of that island like thunder. On the departure of the enemy,
our men must have found themselves in great need of everything, for
whatever houses and stores were there were all burned; for the Dutch
have done this three times on that point. Help came then from Baong,
and father Fray Hernando de Morales came overland with two hundred
Indians. He was an angel to the people, and, with the Indians,
aided them in their greatest necessity. By this means they had one
who served and accommodated them, which was no small achievement. He
brought them as much food as he could, and remained with them until
the natives began to aid; for all had been frightened greatly at the
uproar that they had seen. This was a great matter for the natives,
for they all said, "The Dutch have been beaten."
Captain Don Diego, seeing that the enemy would go there constantly,
began, with the consent of the Audiencia, to build a fort, and
constructed a rampart, furnished with some excellent pieces, which
arrived the same day when the enemy left, and were almost captured by
them. Afterward the fort was completed. It consists of four ramparts,
and is the best in the Filipinas. I have related the above, because
it shows how our religious attend to the service of our Lord.